INSTANT MBA: If You Want Your Employee's Respect, Do The Dirty Work Yourself

"There's a huge difference between exerting the power inherent in being a CEO and earning respect."

When Linehan first started working at Zoo New England, a nonprofit organization working to conserve endangered species, he earned the respect of his employees by doing the dirty work himself — he gave a gorilla CPR once.

There is a huge difference between a leader that enters a company at the top and one that enters at the bottom and proves themselves.

But if you do get hired as a leader, Lenihan says you can still earn respect. Just make sure you are open-minded and respect your employees. And once you gain respect, be careful with it.

"It's a precious resource. It's hard to get it back once you lose it."

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